Battle Tested: Rivalries Brewing within Rivalries

In sports, a rivalry is a good thing, increasing the insanity of an already insane competition.

For some reason, Americans love conflict in sports.  They may hate the sight of two guys beating each other senseless in a cage, but they love it when 18 guys throw Gatorade buckets at each other.  So I decided to look at a few rivalries that have fans frothing at the mouth. 

Red Sox-Yankees 

It's become clear, thanks to a great writer here on BR, that the rivalry between Boston and New York expands well away from Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park.

After reading the piece on the history of this time honored tradition, it's my turn to give a perspective from the other side of the fence.

Though I have complete animosity for Boston—due in large part to the two championships they won against St. Louis—I know what a toll this rivalry has taken on its players and fans alike.

While I may not live on the East Coast, the fans of Yankee Country and Red Sox Nation are everywhere.  It's funny, though, because you never hear from the outspoken members of these groups until September.

The fans are passionate, no question.  Maybe a little too passionate.

Fans will say anything to defend their teams, and that's not always a good thing.  I've seen more fights between the fans than between the players.

Where is this passion during football season?  As a matter of a fact, shouldn't they be duking it out on a sheet of ice instead of near my barstool?

Here's a word of advice for some of those "die hard" fans out there: We didn't hear much from you goons when the Yankees were winning and the Sox were losing.  Now that the tables have turned, you are coming out in droves.

It's okay to show team spirit, but in the end, you guys look more foolish than the players.

As for Pedro's "beat down" on a man old enough to be his grandfather, that's not something to be completely proud of.

The rivalry is losing its luster because the teams are starting to concentrate on World Series titles instead of whose mother can win in a UFC match. 

Broncos-Raiders

Living in Colorado has taught me a lot of things.  The biggest thing I learned is that people here hate two teams in particular: Red Wings and Raiders.

No matter if the teams are fighting for playoff supremacy or if they are the worst teams in the league, this rivalry never loses its fire.  And it's continued even through the seasons of mediocrity.

The Broncos' rivalry with the Raiders started to take an ugly turn when former Broncos started their new seasons with the Oakland/Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders.

Arguably the biggest switch was that Bronco legend Bill "Romo" Romanowski signed with the Raiders prior to his retirement.  Everyone knows that Romo is a dangerous individual, but they had no idea that he would play a major role in the intensity of the rivalry.

Simply put, both Denver and Oakland fans live in Denver, and besides a hefty bar tab, the fans still love to talk smack to each other.

Though the teams haven't tasted playoff supremacy for a while, the fans still smell blood in the water whenever they meet up  in Oakland Coliseum or Invesco Field at Mile High.

Still rivalry, like that of the Yankees and Red Sox, sees the fans raising more hell than the teams.  Knowing what this rivalry means to the fans, the teams might need to harness the fuel that these psychos in Mile High have been spewing out of their John Q. Hindparts for years.

Gators-Seminoles

For years, college teams have been beating the crap out of each other.  Though there are several college rivalries that could easily fit this criteria, the one that makes me boil over the most is Florida versus Florida State.

Bobby Bowden has left his mark on the Gator Nation on several occasions.  The problem isn't the fact that Florida State has disrespected the Gators by stomping and dancing on the "F" at midfield.  It's the fact that this rivalry isn't found just on the football field...it's found on the hardwood as well.

Just a day or two before these two battle on the football field, the basketball teams throw it down on the court.

It may not seem like much, but it adds fire to this long going rivalry.  And the funny part: the fans still love it!

After the basketball game is over, fans dish out their finest trash talk.  Whether it's in Tallahassee or Gainesville, the football game usually determines the national championship or a BCS Bowl game.

People in Gainesville still hate Bobby Bowden, but then again people in Tallahassee still hate Steve Spurrier for the beat down he dished out in the '97 Sugar Bowl.

Expect even more fireworks next year.  It will be Bowden's last chance to triumph against against Florida.

But the bad news for him is that he will have to deal with Tim Tebow at least one more time.

The rivalry still brings one of the most anticipated games this fall, and I for one wouldn't have it any other way.